Unofficial news and tips about Google

January 10, 2011

Google Can't Find Paris

If you use Google to search for [Paris], the top search result is a Wikipedia page for PARIS (Paper Aircraft Released Into Space), "a privately-organised endeavour undertaken by various staff members of the information technology web site The Register to design, build, test, and launch a lightweight aerospace vehicle, constructed mostly of paper and similar structural materials, into the mid-stratosphere and recover it intact".

Appears to be at least somewhat fixed here: the top 2 results are for es.parisinfo.com and www.parislasvegas.com.

I'm wondering if Google is intentionally choosing to let the "actual" top result -- the Paris France OneBox -- account for what would otherwise be several specific Paris France results (e.g. Wikipedia/Paris) at the top of the list. This kind of makes sense since the OneBox includes links to a map, hotels, restaurants, and several Parisian landmarks.